Facebook Beats Estimates; Shares Rise

Facebook (NAS: FB) announced 3Q results this evening that, despite showing a net loss, were slightly higher than anticipated. This sent the stock modestly higher in after-hours trading. According to the firm's official press release, its revenues totaled $1.26 billion and its net loss was $59 million ($0.02 per share) for the quarter. Those figures for 3Q 2011 were $954 million and $227 million, respectively.

The company would have posted a profit had it not been for stock-based compensation and other significant items included in GAAP calculations. Otherwise, net profit would have totaled $0.12 per share. In a survey conducted by Thomson Reuters, analysts had been expecting $0.11 per share for the quarter.

The market seemed to be encouraged by the higher-than-expected revenue growth, since the average estimate from the Thomson Reuters survey was $1.23 billion. There was also a notable increase in the site's monthly and daily active users. These critical metrics rose 26% year-over-year (to 1.01 billion) and 28% (584 million), respectively. Even stronger growth was recorded in the number of mobile monthly active users, which climbed 61% to 604 million.

Facebook stock has lost a great deal of value since its IPO this past May. In after-hours trading following the unveiling of the 3Q results, the shares were up $0.18 to $19.50.

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